Dried Fruits | Inspection guide

Dried Apricot Quality Inspection in Turkey

Turkey supplies the large majority of the world's dried apricots, almost all of them processed in and around Malatya. Sulphite level, size, colour and foreign matter are the points where contracts are won or disputed.

Request an inspection Quality parameters

Season: June to September
Main regions: Eastern Anatolia, Mediterranean, Southeastern Anatolia
Category: Dried Fruits
Key tests: Sulphur dioxide; Moisture

01Product overview

Mainly Hacıhaliloğlu, plus Kabaaşı, Soğancı and other local varieties
Sulphured apricots are treated with sulphur dioxide before drying to keep a bright orange colour
Natural (unsulphured) apricots dry to a dark brown colour and are sold as a distinct product
Sold whole pitted, diced, as paste and in organic grades

02Turkish production regions

Malatya is the centre of production and processing, with Elazığ, Kahramanmaraş, Erzincan and Adıyaman nearby.

03Harvest and production season

Harvest and sun drying in late June and July; processed product ships year round from the new crop in August.

January
February
March
April
May
June, in season
July, in season
August, in season
September, in season
October
November
December

Typical window: June to September. Timing shifts with altitude, variety and weather. See the full Turkish harvest calendar.

04Export characteristics

Processing involves washing, sorting, pitting, sizing by count per kilogram, moisture adjustment and packing. Exporters supply EU, UK, US and many other markets, often to retail and private-label specification.

05Typical quality parameters

Quality parameters for Dried Apricots
Parameter	What is checked
Size	Count per kg or the exporter's numbered size grade
Colour	Uniform orange for sulphured product; consistent brown for natural
Moisture	Within the contract range, which differs between dry and soft (high moisture) products
SO2	Sulphur dioxide content in mg/kg, within destination limits and declared on the label
Defects	Insect damage, mould, dirt, sugaring, colour defects, damaged and broken fruit
Foreign matter	Pits and pit fragments, stems, stones, plastic, glass

Limits and tolerances come from your contract and the applicable standard. We do not apply generic values where a contract specification exists.

06Visual inspection criteria

Pit fragments in pitted product
Insect damage and live or dead insects
Mould and fermentation
Off-colour fruit within sulphured lots
Sugaring on the surface

07Sampling methods

For mycotoxin testing, sampling follows Regulation (EC) No 401/2006 or the method in the contract, with incremental samples drawn across the lot to build an aggregate sample of the required weight. For quality, cartons are drawn at random using ISO 2859-1 or the buyer's plan, and a defined sample weight is examined for defects.

08Laboratory testing

Sulphur dioxide (sulphites) by an accepted method such as Monier-Williams
Moisture
Pesticide residues
Ochratoxin A where required
Yeast, mould and Enterobacteriaceae
Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A by HPLC or LC-MS/MS

Testing is coordinated through laboratories accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 for the required method. See laboratory coordination.

09Food safety and quality risks

SO2 exceeding limits or undeclared sulphites, an allergen labelling issue under EU rules
Pit fragments
Storage insects such as Indian meal moth
Pesticide residues

10Packaging and labelling

Cartons of 5 to 12.5 kg with poly liners, retail packs and organic grades. Sulphites above the labelling threshold must be declared as an allergen in the EU.

11Storage and transportation

Cool, dry storage. Many buyers specify cold storage to slow darkening of sulphured fruit and to limit insect activity.

12Pre-shipment inspection procedure

Review specification, size or count, moisture, colour and additive limits
Confirm the lot is finished, packed and coded
Draw cartons at random and build the laboratory aggregate sample
Examine defects, foreign matter, insects, colour and texture
Measure moisture on site and send samples for SO2, mycotoxins or residues
Check net weight, labelling and allergen declarations
Supervise container condition, loading and sealing
Issue an inspection report and attach laboratory results when received

13Relevant international standards

Dried fruit and nutsUNECE standards for dry and dried produceCommercial quality standards (DDP series) for products such as dried apricots, dried figs, raisins, hazelnuts and pistachios, including moisture and defect tolerances..EU food lawRegulation (EC) No 1333/2008EU rules on food additives, including permitted uses and maximum levels such as those for sulphites in dried fruit..EU food lawRegulation (EU) No 1169/2011Food information to consumers: mandatory labelling particulars, allergen emphasis, nutrition declaration and origin rules..EU food lawRegulation (EC) No 396/2005Maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin.EU food lawCommission Regulation (EU) 2023/915Maximum levels for certain contaminants in food, including mycotoxins, heavy metals, 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters, and pyrrolizidine alkaloids.Certification schemesBRCGS Food SafetyA GFSI-recognised standard widely required by UK and European retailers..Certification schemesIFS FoodA GFSI-recognised standard widely required by German, French and Italian retailers..EU food lawCommission Regulation (EC) No 401/2006Methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of mycotoxin levels in foodstuffs.

Regulations are amended regularly. Always check the version in force for your destination market.

14Conformity TR services for dried apricots

Food Inspection

Independent inspection of finished and semi-finished food products at Turkish suppliers, carried out against your specification, your label artwork and the rules of your market

Pre-Shipment Inspection

Final random inspection of food, produce and feed before it leaves the supplier, when the goods are packed and ready to load

Laboratory Coordination

Sampling and coordination of laboratory testing through competent external laboratories: microbiology, pesticide residues, heavy metals, mycotoxins, nutrition, moisture, foreign matter, authenticity and packaging migration

Supplier Audits

Supplier qualification, food safety audits, quality management system audits, GMP audits and GAP assessments for buyers sourcing from Turkey

Loading Supervision

Supervision of truck, reefer container, bulk vessel and flexitank loading, so the goods that were inspected are the goods that are shipped

Crop and Orchard Status Monitoring

Field visits to orchards, vineyards, greenhouses and farms for buyers who have contracted a future crop and want to see its condition before harvest, with dated photographs, video and a written status report

15Questions buyers ask

When is the season for dried apricots in Turkey?

Harvest and sun drying in late June and July; processed product ships year round from the new crop in August. Typical window: June to September. Exact timing varies with region, altitude and weather each year.

Where are dried apricots produced in Turkey?

Malatya is the centre of production and processing, with Elazığ, Kahramanmaraş, Erzincan and Adıyaman nearby.

Which laboratory tests are typical for dried apricots?

Common tests include sulphur dioxide (sulphites) by an accepted method such as Monier-Williams; moisture; pesticide residues; ochratoxin A where required. The right test plan depends on your specification and destination market.

What are the main quality and safety risks for Turkish dried apricots?

SO2 exceeding limits or undeclared sulphites, an allergen labelling issue under EU rules. Pit fragments. Storage insects such as Indian meal moth. Pesticide residues.

Can Conformity TR inspect dried apricots and supervise loading?

Yes. We inspect dried apricots at the supplier against your specification, coordinate laboratory testing where required and supervise loading, with a photographic report to you the same day.

Contact

Request inspection for dried apricots in Turkey

Send the product, supplier location and timing by email, phone or WhatsApp. We confirm scope, sampling method, laboratory plan and cost before any work starts.

Food-qualified inspector at the supplier
Report with photographs the same day
Independent of the supplier

Inspection request: Dried Apricots

Email[email protected] Phone+90 533 283 05 79 WhatsAppMessage us OfficeBeştepe Mah. Nergiz Sok. Via Flat İş Merkezi 7/2 Kat:3 No: 87, 06560 Yenimahalle/Ankara

For a fast proposal, include the product and specification, supplier location, destination market and expected dates. We reply in English, usually within one business day.

Email your request Call +90 533 283 05 79